


What's a Kid Gotta do to Get Some Sleep Around Here?

by TheDumbestAvenger



Series: Whumptober 2020 [23]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Exhaustion, Gen, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:42:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27160634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDumbestAvenger/pseuds/TheDumbestAvenger
Summary: Tony catches Peter half-asleep in the labWhumptober 2020 ChallengeDay 23 - Prompt "What's a Whumpee Gotta do to Get Some Sleep Around Here" - Exhaustion | Sleep Deprivation
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Whumptober 2020 [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946023
Comments: 8
Kudos: 101
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	What's a Kid Gotta do to Get Some Sleep Around Here?

**Author's Note:**

> Day 23!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“Hey, kid,” Tony glanced up from the web-shooter prototype in his hands and turned towards Peter at the workbench opposite. He sat, slouched over the bench with his head in his hands. “Would you mind passing the- Kid?” Peter didn’t respond, didn’t so much as move.

Tony stood, “Hello? Earth to Pete. Can you hear me?” He moved around the workbench and towards Peter, “I’m getting a little worried now.” 

He rested a hand on Peter’s shoulder. The kid bolted upright and sucked in a deep breath, his eyes wide as he frantically looked around the lab. Eventually, his eyes settled on a somewhat taken aback Tony, “Oh, hey, Mister Stark.” He tried to sound nonchalant, but his voice squeaked as he spoke.

“O-kay,” Tony stretched the vowel out, eyeing Peter. “I’ll try not to take offence that you fell asleep in my company.”

“No, no, Mister Stark.” Peter jumped to his feet. “It’s not- I mean, I wasn’t asleep.”

“You looked pretty asleep to me.”

“I’m just tired,” Peter rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “Long day out patrolling, and school stuff, you know?”

Tony leaned closer, examining the dark circles under Peter’s eyes. Come to think of it, Peter seemed to be constantly yawning and lacked some of that characteristic spring in his step that Tony had come to love. “No kidding. You look like shit-”

“Uh… Thanks?”

“-When was the last time you got a decent night’s sleep?” Peter didn’t reply; he looked around the room as if searching for something to change the conversation. “I won’t be mad, Pete. Just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Well,” Peter shrugged, “it’s been a while.”

Tony raised an eyebrow, “What are we talking, days? Weeks?”

“...Months.” Peter bowed his head. “Technically years what with the snap and all...”

Shocked, Tony took a step back. A stab of pain pierced his heart, the same way it did every time he thought back. “You mean since Titan?” The name felt deathly on his lips, the ghostly feeling of ashes coating his hands returned.

Peter nodded, his gaze firmly set on the floor. Tony reach forward, gently lifting his chin and forcing them to meet eyes. “It’s just, every time I close my eyes I remember. I see you almost dying after using the stones. I see the Guardians and Mister Strange turn to dust, and I wait.”

“Wait for what?”

“For… For it to happen again. Mister Stark, I  _ felt  _ every flake of dust tear away. My spidey-sense is all messed up now, like a coiled spring ready to explode at any second.”

“Which is why you jumped so much when I touched your shoulder?”

Peter nodded, turning his head sideways and wiping the back of his hand over his eyes. “I can’t sleep. I want to. I get tired and go to bed, but I  _ can’t  _ sleep. Even if I do manage to fall asleep, some noise outside will send my spidey-sense haywire and I’ll be wide awake again.”

“Oh, kid…” Tony moved forward, locking his arms around Peter, who clung on just as tight, and kissed the top of his unruly hair. “I want to help, what can I do? Something from Cho to help you get to sleep?”

Peter shook his head against Tony’s chest. “I got some tablets from Doctor Banner a while back. My metabolism burned through them so fast that I was awake again in an hour.” He sighed heavily, “I’ve tried meditation, yoga, basically anything Google said…”

Tony rubbed circles on Peter’s back as the kid’s voice cracked. “Hey,” he whispered, “it’s okay, Pete. We’ll figure this out together.”

After a moment, Peter sniffled and pulled away, quickly brushing away a stray tear with his sleeve and running his hand through his hair. “Thank you.” He fell back into his chair, Tony dragged another over and joined him. “I can’t get the images out of my head.”

“Look at me, kid. I’m sitting right here.  _ Yes, _ I almost took a premature step off the tracks, but I  _ am _ here. And I’m fine, Pete. Great in fact, now that you’re here, too.”

Peter laughed, a slight hint of red growing in his cheeks. He fidgeted his hands in his lap, “You don’t have to say that, you’ve got Morgan now. It’s different-”

“Too right it’s different. I have  _ two _ kids now. Me and Pep are almost outnumbered. Try all you might but you’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Tony leaned back casually, crossing one leg over the other. “Now, you have a problem, I’m a mechanic, let me help fix it.”

“Okay,” Peter leant back too, almost a quizzical look on his face, and crossed his arms. “What have you got?”

“Well, you were half asleep just now. What’s different?” The colour in Peter’s cheeks doubled, Tony smirked. “Me?”

“Well, I guess the whole…” Peter trailed off, miming Tony’s suit repulsors firing. “Kinda puts my mind at ease. Helps to, at least.”

“Right,” Tony clapped his hands and stood, Peter tentatively following as he strode from the lab. “We’re putting on that rat chef movie you and Morgan are always watching, getting comfy on the sofa, and getting you some good sleep.”

“I’m not sure that’s going to work-”

“It’s worth a go, though. And if not, we’ll just try something else.”

Peter skipped forward, looping one arm around Tony and pulling him close. “Thank you, Tony.”


End file.
